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Procedure:
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1. Create a one meter long pendulum using string and a mass set.
2. Do five trials of swinging the pendulum from the same amplitude, but change the mass with each new trial. Collect data.
3. Do five trials of swinging the pendulum with the same mass, but change the amplitude with each new trial. Collect data.
4. Do three trials of swinging the pendulum with the same mass and from the same amplitude, but change the length of the pendulum (tie or cut the string) with each new trial. Collect data.
5. Put all of the data into graphs.
Mass_v._Period.png
Amp_v._period.png
Length_v._Period.png
Analysis:
The mathematical model for the period of a pendulum (used in the textbook) is - T=2(pi)sqroot(L/g)
In the first part of the lab, mass was tested to see if it would have an effect on the period of the pendulum. The results were that it had virtually no effect on the period, which matches up with the mathematical results as well (since mass is not involved in the equation).
In the second part of the lab, amplitude was tested to see if it would have an effect on the period of the pendulum. The results were that it had virtually no effect on the period, which matches up with the mathematical results as well (since amplitude is not involved in the equation).
In the third part of the lab, length was tested to see if it would have an effect on the period of the pendulum. The results were that it did have an effect on the period, which matches up with the mathematical results as well (since length is involved in the equation). In fact, it matches extremely well because the change in period should be related to sqroot(.5) (or 0.71) since the length was halved twice, and the data shows that as well.